Government: Most homes in disrepair

Three-quarters of council tenant homes are in a state of critical disrepair, according to an official housing survey.

Some 74% of properties occupied by council tenants have some form of disrepair to critical elements of the house such as the roof, walls or foundations, the Scottish Government's Scottish House Condition Survey found.

The same applies to 70% of private rented homes, 59% of owner-occupied homes and 56% of homes rented from housing associations or co-ops.

In a third (33%) of council tenant homes and 37% of private-rented homes, the disrepair is "extensive".

Around 5,000 council houses are below tolerable living standards, a proportion of around 1.5%.

Nearly three times as many private rented homes (14,000) are below tolerable standards, representing around one every 20.

This compares with 3.5% of owner-occupied homes and 0.6% of housing association homes.

The survey shows that 83% of all houses are in some degree of disrepair, ranging from a leaking tap to a missing roof.

Disrepair is less prevalent in newer homes, although 57% of post-1982 houses still need work done, in contrast to 92% of pre-1919 properties.

Of private sector housing, 81% is in some form of disrepair, compared with 87% in the social sector.

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